whats the best forums for my website?

[richn]

Ive got a domain, and web host that supports a forum, im just not sure what is best as there is so many such as phpbb, invisionfree, yabb etc. also when downloading the forum is it a matter of simply uploading it via ftp? then go into a control panel and make each section?

any help would be appreciated.

[Brian Turner]

vbulletin is easily the most advanced - and therefore in many ways, the best - most big forums use vbulletin.

However, if you're only looking at small and hobby projects then my personal choice from experience is SMF - more operational than most forums, not as bugger as MyBB, and avoids the security problems of phpbb.

Hope that helps.

[lin robinson]

Does your host have fantastico or other pre-installed forums?

Don't take this wrong, because I have no idea what you are doing or your level of experience, but I would say unless your have a really good, solid reason to have a forum, don't do it.

They are a lot of work and trouble and attract problems. Also a badly-attended forum looks bad, like the site isn't doing well.

Anything allowing input to your site from outside can be a security problem.

Also there are often other ways to handle the situation, such as a wordpress blog allowing responses.

Anyway, think it over, is all I'm saying.

[TWD-Tony]

It's a little bit more complicated than just uploading the files via FTP - you will have to create a database for the forum software, a database user to access the database and then configure the forum software to use them...

Without knowing which control panel you are using on your hosting I cannot really be more specific - if you get stuck then drop me an email sales@twdhosting.co.uk and I will install your chosen forum software for you (you will have to upload the files though)

As for which software to use - I agree with Brian... vBulletin is the daddy but is not a free option, SMF is probably the best of the free ones available.